Sharktober News With Shark Stewards

The shark season is upon us and we have another year of exciting shark activity, campaigns and events. Sharktober is a celebration of the return of the white sharks to our sanctuary after their long migration. Our white shark population is slowly rebounding from overfishing, however, many species including the Silky Sharks and Thresher Sharks just listed under CITES Appendix II are at great risk globally. Sharks and the ocean need our help. This Sharktober we can celebrate increased protection for these 4 species and the Devil and Eagle Rays.This Sharktober, join me celebrating and saving sharks, join our LUSH Las Vegas Fin Campaign 10/22 and our Sharktober events listed below.

In 2009 Shark Stewards catalysed the Bay Area Sharktober outreach effort to educate and motivate support for the now successful California Shark Fin Ban, and have built that momentum to include 10 other US states. Now we are supporting the Federal Shark Fin Trade Elimination act 2016 which has been introduced to Congress. Please voice your support here, share and support our work!

There is growing public support saving sharks and leveraging conservation policy. including this year’s successful campaign for CITES, focusing on the Mobula Rays. We are rapidly seeing Devil Rays and Eagle Rays disappearing for their gill rakers for Traditional Chinese Medicine where we are working in Borneo. Increased protection from trade helps, but fishery and area based protections are urgent. This is why Shark Stewards is turning focus on stopping the Malaysian shark fin (#3 globally) and the ray gill-raker trade and creating shark sanctuaries with our partners the Sabah Shark Protection Association.

LUSH loves Sharks. Shark Stewards is joining up with LUSH Cosmetics in a campaign to reduce the shark fin trade in Las Vegas and support the Federal ban on shark fins. We will be hosting events at the LUSH Mandalay Bay store and shouting out for sharks with lushies, sharkies, mer-people and ocean advocates. Join us October 22 from 10-5 and lets make some noise for sharks to ban the fin. Look for the Hammerhead Shark on theCharity Pot in all LUSH stores and proceeds benefit sharks!

Oct. 15 Sharktoberfest at the Sanctuary 10AM-4PM at the Greater Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary Visitors Center Family Fun, Free. Volunteers needed for set up, break down, tabling activities and the shark party .